| Sports betting can be a bit intimidating if you're trying | | | | back. |
| to bet on sports played in a foreign country. | | | | 2. There Are Also "Money Line" Betting Odds |
| However, one of the best opportunities to profit | | | | In addition to the point spread, you must also be |
| from sports betting is to place bets on American | | | | aware that there is a "money line" with each game. |
| sporting events. | | | | There are only two types of money lines -one when |
| Now that the United States has passed laws making | | | | you bet on the favorite, and the other when you |
| it even more difficult for Americans to place bets on | | | | bet on the underdog. These money lines work |
| sporting events in their own country, there will be | | | | differently. |
| even more opportunities for astute gamblers to win | | | | When you bet on the favorite, the money line shows |
| big money betting on sports. Why? Because sports | | | | how much money you have to bet to come out |
| betting is a competition among the people who | | | | ahead by $100. If the money line is -110, that means |
| participate in it. The sports books set the point | | | | you have to bet $110 and if you win, you get your |
| spreads based on how people are betting, not | | | | $110 back PLUS your $100 winnings. In other words, |
| necessarily on who they think will win the game. This | | | | when you see -110 that shows the amount you are |
| creates an opportunity for the "smart money" | | | | risking to win $100. |
| gamblers to place high percentage bets, and to win | | | | When you're betting on the underdog, the money line |
| lots of money! | | | | works differently. For example, you might see a |
| But before you can hope to do this, there are three | | | | money line at +135. When you see a + sign in front |
| important things you need to understand about | | | | of the number, that means that this bet is on the |
| American Sports Betting: | | | | underdog. What this represents is the amount of |
| 1. You Must Understand The Betting Odds | | | | money you win if you bet $100. For example, if the |
| Let's just stick with American Football. The way | | | | money line is +135 that means if you bet $100 and |
| most people bet these football games is by using the | | | | you win your bet, you get your $100 back, PLUS |
| pointspread, also known as the "line" or simply as the | | | | your $135 winnings. |
| "spread." Here's how this works. Say the Pittsburgh | | | | 3. Even With Point Spread Bets, There Are Still |
| Steelers are playing the Cleveland Browns and | | | | Money Line Odds |
| everybody expects the Steelers to win easily. The | | | | Typically when you make a bet using the point |
| sports books will put a "line" on the game to try to | | | | spread, the money line is -110. What this means is |
| get an equal amount of money bet on both teams. | | | | that whether you take the team getting points, or |
| They might say the line is Pittsburgh -7. This means | | | | the team giving points, you still need to bet $110 just |
| that if you bet on Pittsburgh, you have to "give" the | | | | to win $100. For example, if the Steelers are -7 and |
| Browns 7 points. You win your bet if Pittsburgh wins | | | | you bet on them, you bet $110 that the Steelers will |
| by more than 7 points. If Pittsburgh wins by exactly | | | | win by more than 7 points, and if you're right, you |
| 7 points, it's called a push, and you get your bet | | | | get your $110 back, PLUS you're $100 winnings. |